DOJ Warns LA County of Criminal Charges Over 20K Illegal Voter Registrants
DOJ warns LA County election officials of potential criminal charges if they allow noncitizens to vote.
2 min read
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has intensified its scrutiny of Los Angeles County, warning election officials that allowing noncitizens to vote could lead to criminal charges. In a stern letter sent to Los Angeles Assistant County Counsel Peter M. Bollinger, Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter highlighted a dataset identifying over 20,000 individuals suspected of being noncitizens registered to vote in California.
Legal Risks and Federal Law Enforcement
McCotter emphasized that noncitizen voting in federal elections is a federal crime, and knowingly facilitating such conduct is equally unlawful. The DOJ did not request the county to purge voter rolls or determine immigration status, but rather to temporarily segregate ballots from those on the provided list until their citizenship and eligibility can be verified.
Rejection of State Procedures
The DOJ argued that California’s standard voting procedures, which allow voters to declare their own eligibility, cannot override federal laws when there is clear evidence of illegal voter registration. McCotter stated that election officials cannot rely on state procedures to justify counting ballots that may be unlawful.
Opposition to Quiet Period
The DOJ also contested the state’s reliance on the National Voter Registration Act’s (NVRA) “quiet period,” a 90-day limitation on voter-list maintenance, arguing it does not apply to targeted investigations with individualized evidence of unlawful voting. McCotter warned that invoking the NVRA to justify counting unlawfully cast ballots is both legally incorrect and operationally irresponsible.
Administrative Challenges Not a Defense
McCotter further stated that administrative burdens, timing constraints, or the fact that the investigative list includes individuals residing outside Los Angeles County do not permit the county to knowingly tabulate ballots that federal law prohibits. He emphasized that once credible evidence of unlawful ballots is provided, election officials must not disregard this information due to inconvenience.
Political Reaction
President Donald Trump shared the contents of the letter on his Truth Social platform, warning that those involved would face long prison sentences. The DOJ’s actions reflect a broader effort to enforce federal voting laws and hold local officials accountable for potential violations.
Source: OANN
